


It All Falls Down

by kmoaton



Series: Bingo Fills [10]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Angst, Betrayal, Hurt/Comfort, Kidnapping, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-05
Updated: 2017-01-05
Packaged: 2018-09-15 02:44:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,368
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9215306
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kmoaton/pseuds/kmoaton
Summary: Severus explains what is going on and why he took Harry away.Written for Hurt/Comfort Bingo.  Prompt used - Betrayal





	

**Author's Note:**

> I realized this might have to go off the rails in terms of remaining in the canon timeline. I want Harry to be slightly older, I want Sirius to be alive so, at this point, I'm taking some liberties. You have been warned.

It took half a day before Harry would come out of the room he slept in. He knew eventually he would have to hear this story and for the moment, curiosity outweighed fear. Harry didn’t recognize the home but he could tell it was old and obviously hadn’t been lived in for a while. It was clean but outdated. It wasn’t very large and Harry had no trouble finding the kitchen. Professor Snape was sitting at the kitchen table, writing on parchment. Pausing in the doorway, Harry wasn’t sure if he should enter or not. 

“You missed breakfast, Mr. Potter. You need to have lunch before we move on.”

Harry came in and sat across from Professor Snape. Dobby appeared at his elbow, placing a sandwich and crisps in front of him. 

“What do you mean, move on?” 

“It’s not safe for us to linger here too long,” Snape replied, not looking up from his papers. “By now, they are aware we both are missing.”

Harry stopped eating, his appetite gone. “What do you mean not safe? Why did you kidnap me?”

Snape did look up and Harry was surprised to see the conflict in the normally unflappable man’s eyes. 

“I have not been honest with you and before we go any further, I need to rectify that.”

With his heart pounding in his chest, Harry wasn’t sure if he wanted to hear what Snape had to say. He hadn’t forgotten that Snape said he “saved him” that morning and he spent the time wondering what it meant. 

Harry jumped slightly when Snape pulled out his wand and was rewarded with a familiar look of exasperation. Harry was shocked by what happened next. 

"I, Severus Snape, do swear on my magic that what I am telling Harry Potter is the truth, so mote be." A glow settled around both wizards for a brief moment then Snape used his wand to shoot off sparks to prove he still had his magic. With a sigh, he began speaking. 

"I don't have time to go into details right now so your questions will have to wait until we are in a more secure location. When your parents died, I made a vow to your mother that I would protect you as her son. I have not been faithful to that because of my feeling about your father and his friends. A few weeks ago, I learned some distressing news and I knew that it was time to honor my vow." 

Harry digested what Snape said. "I already knew that you did not like my father. You and Sirius fight constantly. What suddenly made you want to protect me?" 

Snape looked Harry straight in the eye. "I spoke with Dumbledore. He plans to let you die in order to rid the world of the Dark Lord." 

The chair Harry was sitting in clattered to the floor as he rose to his feet. "You lie! He would never..." 

Snape didn't move as he interrupted the rant. "Has he told you the truth why The Dark Lord is still alive? Had he ever told you the truth about your scar?" 

Harry's voice was lost and could only shake his head negatively in response to Snape's questions. 

"The port key I have activates in 15 minutes. Once we are in that safe house, you will get the full story." 

Oooo

Harry was still in shock when they left what he later found out was Snape's family home. He had no idea where they currently were. They had made two more stops and two port key journeys before they landed at their current destination. It was a small but neat two bedroom flat in some magical city. No words passed between the two as Snape worked to secure the wards and Dobby returned with an evening meal and tea. 

Without preamble, Snape began his story. "The Dark Lord used an ancient Dark Magic to create a Horcrux. It involves splitting the soul and storing it away from the main soul piece." 

"But that's horrible! Why would he do that?" Harry asked, appalled at the idea. 

"Immortality. As long as soul pieces are out there, he cannot die." Snape replied, dreading the point the conversation was heading. 

Harry frowned. "But what does this have to do with me and dying? What does this have to do with Dumbledore?" 

Before he continued, Snape removed a vial from his robes. "It's a calming draught. Drink this before I continue." 

Reluctantly, Harry took the bottle and downed the bitter liquid. Even as it worked, his mind still raced about what Snape could possibly reveal to him. 

"The night your parents died, Dumbledore suspected that there were others reasons why the Dark Lord didn't die. He finally revealed to me his suspicions." 

Harry took a sip of his tea. "The Horcrux?"

"More than one, apparently," Snape replied. Harry hated the sudden look of pity that came into his eyes. "Dumbledore thinks behind your scar is one of the Dark Lord's soul pieces." 

Harry's hand went automatically to his forehead. Even with the calming draught, Harry could still feel his heart beginning to race. 

"Ho... how can it be removed?" 

Snape looked away for a moment. "Not by normal means. To get rid of a Horcrux, the container has to be destroyed." 

"How?" Harry asked, dread filling him. 

"The objects used as containers can be destroyed with fiendfyre or basilisk venom. But you are a living container." 

Harry closed his eyes. He could feel tears swelling behind his closed lids. The calming draught in his veins was the only thing that kept him from running from his seat. _"Focus, Harry.”_ He told himself. _"You need to hear what Snape has to say."_

Snape waited until he could see Harry had composed himself. He sorely wanted a firewhiskey but he would have to wait until Harry had gone to bed. 

"Dumbledore says you have to die to remove the soul piece in your body and the Dark Lord has to be the one to kill you." 

The silence in the room wrapped around both of them like a heavy cloak. Harry understood now why Snape had him to take the potion. He would be destroyed otherwise. Thanks to the potion, at least he could think clearly for the moment. 

"Are you going to take me to him?" Harry had to know. 

Snape looked at Harry in horror. "Never! I made a vow to your mother. My life became forfeit the moment I left Hogwarts with you." 

The heavy silence returned. Harry so many questions but couldn't form a coherent thought, his mind stuck on the fact that Dumbledore was willing to let him be the human sacrifice and didn't even have the honesty to tell him. After all the speeches about caring about Harry and wanting Harry to get a chance to enjoy his childhood, he was ready to throw Harry to the proverbial wolf. 

It hurt beyond belief. 

Harry couldn't help reflect on every moment, every word, and every action. He couldn't help but wonder did his friends know and keep it a secret. He wondered did Sirius and Remus know and that’s why they didn’t fight to have Harry live with them. 

_"Dumbledore knew and he didn't even care that I would have to die."_. With that thought, Harry could no longer stop the tears that rolled down his face. He didn't care if Snape saw them and thought he was weak. Harry could feel himself simply breaking apart. He barely registered Snape placing another vial to his lips. 

"Dreamless sleep" was the reply to Harry's unanswered question. 

ooOOoo 

Snape called Dobby to take the now sleep young man to his bed. Retreating to his study, Snape fixed himself a drink and settled heavily into his chair. 

_"it could have gone worse."._ he mused. The horror of knowing that someone you trusted was planning for your death had to be devastating. You learn how to deal with an enemy but the betrayal from someone you trusted and thought cared for you was unfathomable. The dreamless sleep would allow Harry to rest tonight but Snape knew the real work would start tomorrow. 

**Author's Note:**

> I changed to prompt for this one because I felt it fit better.


End file.
